Colored Hair Extension Tape

ABSTRACT

A colored hair extension tape includes a tape base, an adhesive layer provided on one side of the tape base and a protective cover that covers the adhesive layer. The other side of the tape base is colored with a predetermined color. A tape insert is provided between the adhesive layer and the protective cover to facilitate handling of the tape and overlaps the adhesive layer by a predetermined with and extends beyond the protective cover by a predetermined distance. The colored hair extension tape is used to attach a hair extension to a customer&#39;s hair. Alternatively, such colored hair extension tape is provided as an integral part of the hair extension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a hair extension tape. More particularly, the present invention is related to a colored hair extension tape with enhanced handling.

2. Discussion of Related Technology

Generally, the hair extension technology connects one or more extension hair pieces to hair of a person or an animal. The extension hair pieces are to make the person/animal's hair look longer or thicker and/or add color accents to the person/animal's hair. The extension hair pieces for hair extension are in various forms and shapes, and include hair weaves, widgets, etc. In order to attach hair extension to customer's natural hair, various methods using metal tubes, double sided tape, hair pins have been used. Extension hair pieces are expensive, and the handling, storing and organizing of the extension hair pieces require a lot of care.

While, a hair extension tape is an easy-to-use device to attach a hair extension to a customer's hair, securing a hair extension with an adhesive tape is a tricky work and it is difficult to make the appearance of the attached portion unnoticeable. Handling of the adhesive surface 18 of the adhesive tape 12 is very difficult because the tape is small, light and flexible and sticky. Handling the tape without contaminating the adhesive surface by finger and bringing the adhesive surface to the exact location that corresponds to the tip of the hair extension requires great care. While a hair stylist may use a dedicated tool 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3), such tool is not practical for a consumer who attaches the tape product 12 by herself at home. An hair extension tape is visible through hair strands of customer. The awkward appearance problem becomes severe especially for customers having fewer hair strands and on upper locations on a customer's scalp. A hair extension tape that do not suffer the above two problems has long been in need. The foregoing discussion in this section is to provide general background information, and does not constitute an admission of prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the invention is to provide a easy to handle colored hair extension tape.

In order to achieve the objective, in the first embodiment, the present invention provides a colored hair extension tape comprising a tape base having a predetermined width and length; an adhesive layer provided on one side of the tape base; and a protective cover that covers the adhesive layer. The other side of the tape base is colored with a predetermined color.

The colored hair extension tape further comprises a tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the adhesive layer and the protective cover. Alternatively, the tape insert is provided between the adhesive layer and the tape base. The tape insert overlaps the adhesive layer by a predetermined width and extends beyond the protective cover by a predetermined distance.

In the second embodiment, the present invention provides a hair extension comprising a plurality of extension hair strands; and a colored hair extension tape that holds the plurality of extension hair strands. The hair colored hair extension tape comprises a tape base having a predetermined width and length; an adhesive layer provided on one side of the tape base; and a protective cover that covers the adhesive layer. The other side of the tape base is colored with a predetermined color.

The predetermined color of the tape base is the same as the color of the extension hair strands. The plurality of extension hair strands are embedded in the adhesive layer.

In the third embodiment, the present invention provides a hair extension comprising a plurality of extension hair strands and a colored hair extension tape that holds the plurality of extension hair strands. The the hair colored hair extension tape comprises a first tape base having a predetermined width and length; a second tape base having a predetermined width and length; a first adhesive layer provided between the first tape base and the second tape base; a second adhesive layer provide on the second tape base opposite to the first adhesive layer; and a protective cover that covers the second adhesive layer. The first tape base is colored with a predetermined color.

The colored hair extension tape further comprises a tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the second adhesive layer and the protective cover. Alternatively, the tape insert is provided between the second adhesive layer and the second tape base.

The predetermined color of the first tape base is the same as the color of the extension hair strands. The plurality of extension hair strands are embedded in the first adhesive layer.

The advantageous effects of the present invention are: (1) the colored hair extension tape 14 provides unnoticed natural not bulky appearance of the extension hair as shown on FIG. 1; (2) the colored hair extension tape makes the work of attaching hair extension 16 easy and reliable even by an unexperienced user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the best embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a colored hair extension tape of the present invention is used to fix a hair extension to a customer's hair;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing handling of a hair extension tape by prior art;

FIGS. 4-6 are perspective views showing handling of a hair extension tape according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the colored hair extension tape and the hair extension;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the colored hair extension tape;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view thereof

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a colored hair extension tape by a second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a colored hair extension tape by a third embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a colored hair extension tape showing different positioning of the tape insert.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments will be described in detail below. The accompanying drawings will be used for describing embodiments. For the sake of convenience of illustrating embodiments, thickness, length, diameter, size and other dimensions of components and/or hair would be illustrated or exaggerated to be different with those of actual components and/or hair, and the subject matter of this application is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

FIGS. 4-9 show the first embodiment. The present invention provides a colored hair extension tape 14 comprising a tape base 20 having a predetermined width B1 and length L1; an adhesive layer 22 provided on one side 26 of the tape base 20; and a protective cover 24 that covers the adhesive layer 22. The other side 28 of the tape base 20 is colored with a predetermined color.

The colored hair extension tape 14 further comprises a tape insert 30 having a predetermined width B2 and length L2 and provided between the adhesive layer 22 and the protective cover 24. The tape insert 30 overlaps the adhesive layer 22 by a predetermined width B3 and extends beyond the protective cover 24 by a predetermined distance L3.

FIG. 10 shows the second embodiment. The present invention provides a hair extension 32 comprising a plurality of extension hair strands 34; and a colored hair extension tape 36 that holds the plurality of extension hair strands. The hair colored hair extension tape 36 comprises a tape base 38 having a predetermined width and length; an adhesive layer 40 provided on one side of the tape base; and a protective cover 42 that covers the adhesive layer 40. The other side of the tape base 38 is colored with a predetermined color.

The predetermined color of the tape base 38 is the same as the color of the extension hair strands 34. The plurality of extension hair strands 34 are embedded in the adhesive layer 40.

FIG. 11 shows the third embodiment. The present invention provides a hair extension 44 comprising a plurality of extension hair strands 34 and a colored hair extension tape 46 that holds the hair extension. The hair colored hair extension tape 46 comprises a first tape base 48 having a predetermined width and length; a second tape base 50 having a predetermined width and length; a first adhesive layer 52 provided between the first tape base 48 and the second tape base 50; a second adhesive layer 54 provided on the second tape base 50 opposite to the first adhesive layer 52; and a protective cover 56 that covers the second adhesive layer 54. The first tape base 48 is colored with a predetermined color.

The colored hair extension tape 46 further comprises a tape insert 58 having a predetermined width and length and provided between the second adhesive layer 54 and the protective cover 56.

The predetermined color of the first tape base 48 is the same as the color of the extension hair strands 34. The plurality of extension hair strands 34 are embedded in the first adhesive layer 52.

The colored hair extension tape has the same color with the color of the extension hair strands that are fixed to or adjacent to the colored hair extension tape. This is especially important when the number of natural hair strands of a customer is small around the hair extension. While the colored hair extension tape of the present invention is for small hair extensions, it can be also applied to a large size hair extension including skin wefts. The colored hair extension tape can be used with popular hair extensions. Customer's hair strands are sandwiched between the adhesive tape of a hair extension and the colored extension tape of the present invention. Also, it may be provided as an integral part of a hair extension as explained in the second and third embodiments. Polyurethane is usually used as the adhesive. The adhesive may respond to pressure or heat to provide the adhesive bonding. A tape fixing tool may be used to facilitate the bonding process.

A number of differently colored tapes are provided to match the color of extension hair and/or customer's natural hair. The tape may be the adhesive tape that is part of the hair extension itself, or a separately provided tape, that may be placed over the natural hair, which in turn is placed over hair extension. A tape for skin weft hair extension is a segment of double adhesive tape that is attached to a thin polyurethane film. Because the melting point of polyurethane is high (more than 200 degree Celsius), a double adhesive tape is used in hair extension work to aid the fixing of extension hair to natural hair. Pressing and some heating is applied to the adhesive tape and polyurethane tape. A dye that is used to color extension hair may be used to dye the colored tape.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the tape insert 30 is provided between the adhesive layer 22 of the colored tape 14 and the protective cover 24. The insert 30 is positioned about halfway of the width of the tape 14, so that part of the insert 30 is exposed free of the adhesive layer 22. The insert 14 has the same non-sticky property of the cover. In the work of attaching hair extension, as shown on FIG. 4, the protective cover is peeled off first, exposing the adhesive layer. Then the entire tape is brought to desired position while holding the tape insert by fingers (FIG. 5). After pressing the adhesive layer to the desired position, the insert is removed. In this way, a consumer can attach the hair extension and the colored tape without any particular skill.

While the tape insert is provided between the adhesive layer and the protective cover in the above embodiments, referring to FIG. 12, it is also possible to provide the tape insert between the adhesive layer and the tape base.

Although the colored hair extension tape according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept herein described, which may appear to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

The drawings and the forgoing description gave examples of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, however, is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of the invention is at least as broad as given by the following claims. 

1. A colored hair extension tape comprising: a) a tape base having a predetermined width and length; b) an adhesive layer provided on one side of the tape base; and c) a protective cover that covers the adhesive layer; wherein the other side of the tape base is colored with a predetermined color.
 2. The colored hair extension tape of claim 1, further comprising a tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the adhesive layer and the protective cover.
 3. The colored hair extension tape of claim 1, further comprising a tape insert having a predetermined width and and provided between the adhesive layer and the tape base.
 4. The colored hair extension tape of claim 2, wherein the tape insert overlaps the adhesive layer by a predetermined width and extends beyond the protective cover by a predetermined distance.
 5. A hair extension comprising: a) a plurality of extension hair strands; b) a colored hair extension tape that holds the plurality of extension hair strands; wherein the hair colored hair extension tape comprising: i) a tape base having a predetermined width and length; ii) an adhesive layer provided on one side of the tape base; and iii) a protective cover that covers the adhesive layer; wherein the other side of the tape base is colored with a predetermined color.
 6. The colored hair extension tape of claim 5, further comprising tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the adhesive layer and the protective cover.
 7. The colored hair extension tape of claim 5, further comprising tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the adhesive layer and the tape base.
 8. The colored hair extension tape of claim 6, wherein the tape insert overlaps the adhesive layer by a predetermined with and extends beyond the protective cover by a predetermined distance.
 9. The colored hair extension tape of claim 6, wherein the predetermined color of the tape base is the same as the color of the extension hair strands.
 10. The colored hair extension tape of claim 9, wherein the plurality of extension hair strands are embedded in the adhesive layer.
 11. A hair extension comprising: a) a plurality of extension hair strands; b) a colored hair extension tape that holds the plurality of extension hair strands; wherein the hair colored hair extension tape comprising: i) a first tape base having a predetermined width and length; ii) a second tape base having a predetermined width and length; iii) a first adhesive layer provided between the first tape base and the second tape base; iv) a second adhesive Layer provided on the second tape base opposite to the first adhesive layer; iii) a protective cover that covers the second adhesive layer; wherein the first tape base is colored with a predetermined color.
 12. The colored hair extension tape of claim 11, further comprising a tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the second adhesive layer and the protective cover.
 13. The colored hair extension tape of claim 11, further comprising a tape insert having a predetermined width and length and provided between the second adhesive layer and the second tape base.
 14. The colored hair extension tape of claim 12, wherein the tape insert overlaps the second adhesive layer by a predetermined with and extends beyond the protective cover by a predetermined distance.
 15. The colored hair extension tape of claim 12, wherein the predetermined color of the first tape base is the same as the color of the extension hair strands.
 16. The colored hair extension tape of claim 15, wherein the plurality of extension hair strands are embedded in the first adhesive layer. 